Sep 2018
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shazzbaa
Sep '18

Yeah, someone who draws without using construction lines is someone who's drawn That Exact Thing So Many Times that they've memorised the lines of That Specific Thing, like if a famous cartoonist has been asked to draw the character they're known for 50 billion times? They probably don't use construction lines anymore.

Or something like a caricature artist, where they're only drawing one specific thing (a face) and they've learned to gauge proportions of That Specific Thing so that they can go straight to inks.

Or sometimes artists will forego construction lines when doodling, and their doodles are just really good because they're drawing something they're extremely comfortable with.

But most pros use construction lines for actual finished work, and I don't consider it a goal to use them less. I'd rather focus on making my art better and better. You can maybe get a lighter touch with your construction lines, so that they're easier to erase on sketches, (a lot of people see my sketches and think that I don't use construction but actually, I just erase a lot), if having clean sketches is a goal. I don't really think there's much value in getting rid of them, though.

If you get to the point of the folks who don't use them, it's probably going to come naturally. It won't be that you've carefully weaned yourself off of using construction lines -- it'll be that you've used construction lines so much and so consistently that you know them by heart.

mariusthered
Sep '18

think it's all been said above .... but if it makes you feel better i have been drawing for over 30 years and i still use guide shapes and lines. and to be honest some of these so called artists on you tube are doing the same only they have layers turned off when filming.

indigodrawing
Sep '18

Unless drawing from life it's pretty common to use construction lines and you shouldn't stop just because you saw somebody else not using them! Even if you watch somebody drawing on TV apparently straight onto the page you'll often spot a very faint guideline if you look closely enough.

Perhaps what you really need is better ways of removing them after the fact. If you use traditional media then sketch your construction out as lightly as possible (with a hard-lead pencil). After you've inked the construction should be easy to remove with an eraser/rubber (just give the ink time to dry properly first!) If you're a digital artist then put your construction in a different layer.

punkarsenic
Sep '18

construction lines are not a crutch, theyre not something artists grow out of as they improve.in fact, theyre really important to making work with good gesture and form.

spadesart
Sep '18

i personally use them to a minimum, but thats because i sketch entirely in gel pen and taught myself to visualize where the guides should be to keep things less messy, if its a more complex pose though i definitely still use them. if im sketching digitally ill draw them onto another layer and delete it to keep it looking clean.

Wumbl
Sep '18

I don't think that whether or not you use construction lines is anything to do with how good your drawings are... It's perfectly normal to use them to improve.
You can't really "stop relying on them" until you no longer need them. I don't use construction lines often anymore because I've been drawing seriously for about 10 years. I use them when I'm drawing an unfamiliar subject matter / angle though.
Construction lines aren't a weakness and they don't make your art worse by any stretch. They're just a way of sketching. If your construction lines aren't helping you just need to learn to use them more effectively, maybe by studying more references or doing more anatomy practice. That way you can put down construction sketches that are more and more effective.

DokiDokiTsuna
Sep '18

That is so weird...my experience is the exact opposite, I'm pretty much the only artist I know who DOESN'T use construction lines. I thought that's what everyone did!

As for whether you should use them or not, I think that's up to you. There's nothing wrong with using them or needing them; they're not a crutch. They're just a tool that helps you figure out where things are. Even someone like me uses an action line or a circle every now and then.

imiogri
Sep '18

I've also been drawing for over 10 years and I find myself not using them for things I draw often, but as soon something looks wonky I draw a few lines to align things properly. I've went to 2 different art schools and several courses and they all teach you to use them, even old veterans who've worked professionally for years!
It's just basics for art, no matter the skill level, and its nothing you should feel ashamed of. Trying to avoid it just to look "professional" could only slow down your development, so please don't be afraid of using tools and references, heck, most of us even started by tracing, and that's cool too, because it helps you learn.

vworksart
Sep '18

In my experience it's situational.
Construction lines are great for building the characters form accurately. Especially if they are in a pose/position that is really obscure. I find myself often using them way more when I'm trying to convey a complex motion. But even with a static standing poses, I use them to "check my work" in a sense. I felt the same way about seeing other artists draw easily without construction lines but I just chalked it up to a difference in skill or understanding of form. I don't think this point is attained quickly but only though lots of practice to the point where you can imagine and see the construction lines without them actually being there. Bah rambling.

Point is, construction lines are great. Use them til you feel no need.

DiegoPalacios
Sep '18
1

After reading this topic and realizing construction lines are a thing and their use.....

I should give construction lines a try.......

ZombieOwl
Sep '18

When I was younger(as an artist, and chronologically), I decided that I was good 'nuff to not use construction lines. Eventually, I started using them again because it kept things in proportions (my art from back in the day... it is warped lol)

Luminosophy
Sep '18
1

My two cents.

5

On a more serious note, I do and don't use them. On women's bodies - yes and no. I'm familiar with the overall anatomy however I still use it to put down gesture lines, line of gravity/center, and especially for the head because I work out the overall perspective from 3D shapes and guiding lines with it. I used to not use it for hands and feet, but then I found a very good artist who broke them down in a much better way that actually simplified the bones and muscles (not just making vague hand-esque shapes) and since using his technique my ability to draw hands and feet improved significantly. For anything I don't understand, it's really the only way to break it down and build it up. I might miss the mark using construction vs eyeballing, but at least my construction drawings are a lot tighter and proportional, I find.

I think a lot of people don't use them when starting out because... I don't think most guides are taught very well. They need to actually simplify what's there - the underlying structure and then also demonstrate how these random shapes relate to it. Most methods just teach how to vaguely represent a humanish figure.

Hodge
Sep '18

I don't really know honestly. Sometimes I can Kim Jung Gi (exaggeration of course I suck in comparison to him) the drawing if I have it visualized well, but I don't really ever get too technical with my sketches. Honestly, I'm one of those people where the sketch underneath just confuses me, and I've sort of just trained myself to ignore it. Which does mean that my lineart is often on the messy side because I'm often still finding the line while drawing it. But that aside, I can see how it'd be useful to check your anatomy and proportions.

Hodge
Sep '18
Luminosophy

Btw can you share the technique for drawing hands? I will forever struggle with hands haha, so curious how you do them.

indagold
Sep '18

They do that after practicing for years with contruction lines you silly newb :stuck_out_tongue:

Memai
Sep '18

Oop I peeped this topic on Smackjeeves too ;D I think it really depends on your style and what makes things easier for YOU. Some people don't have to use them, some people do, it really is a matter of preference and what makes life easier for you when it comes to making art!

There are some things I use construction lines for, some things I don't, what matters is as long it makes the process easier for me!

Luminosophy
Sep '18
Hodge

Ah man so sorry. I meant to reply earlier and everytime I remember to, I forget. Basically, this guy is a golden ray of insight. xD

I link his channel because he covers a lot of topics you may find useful. He's a very skilled, very experienced artist and I personally found that he broke things down in a way for me that made things easier to understand.

This is one of the hand videos specifically, because it's a bit further down in the list.

Edit: Oh yeah... there's ton of dad jokes too. So be prepared.

👉What Everyone Gets Wrong Drawing Hands - Critiques👈